Guess who just got his first tooth...

...this guy!!

(Have I ever mentioned that he's the sweetest and easiest baby in the world? Don't tell James.)

For Sonja

So I don't know if Sonja still reads this, but if you're out there somewhere, this picture is for you!!!


(Last year sometime, Sonja wrote about FM having their $1/box on the cereal they like most. Well, they did it again last week and I stocked up... in honor of her!)

Last week

Last week was a fun, busy week. I'm pretty sure we were outside any time the sun was. (I have some awesome tan lines to prove it!) That said, this weekend has not been relaxing - playing catch up on anything and everything that slipped by last week! Totally worth it though.



Poor Nate....


Last Wednesday, we drove down to Portland with John to pick up something off Craigslist. A 7 hour trip turned into 11 hours. Ugh. It was good practice for camping road trips this summer though. For example: the boys sitting together is great entertainment while they're awake. NOT great when they are over-stimulated and need to sleep!

There was a lot of this:



Very little of this:


Thursday was spent entirely outside. I mostly did yard work whilst corralling kids and pup.

During their nap, I was able to revive the destitute play set in the back yard. Whoever played with it last had moved all the swings, taken slides off, and sent a flock of birds to defecate on it (lovely, I know!)... it was a mess! But, we now have 3 working swings and 2 working slides and James totally digs it!



When did these kids grow up?



Friday, we did MOPS, walked with Keri and Kenley, and spent more time playing outside with Hugo.




Saturday morning, John left for his annual "man camping" trip. This year they totally wimped out and got a cabin... on a lake.... with plush bedding and gorgeous views. Wimps. (Maybe I'm just jealous!)

Anyway, while he was gone, my parents took the boys all day Saturday so I spent 4 hours... shopping! Uninterrupted. It was super! Sunday, we did church then hung out at a friend's house whose husband is also wimpy-man-camping.


Oh! I think I also taught myself how to prune roses yesterday. There are 6 rose bushes here, and the poor things haven't been touched in at least 2 years. I'm so bad! Anyway, after hacking away and one last week (and probably destroying it), I did a little research and I think I got it right this time. And get this, I think I'm actually starting to like gardening. (*Gasp*). It must be that whole getting older thing.

This was our "on the way to church" picture for John yesterday.

James' first chainsaw accident

(for the record, it was John's fault)

Happy Late Mother's Day!

If only it was that easy..........








I enjoy Mother's Day. Not a lot going on around here this Mother's Day, but hanging out with our family is really what we want to do anyway, right?

One of these days I will order the Christmas/Birthday/Mother's Day necklace I was promised (by promised, I mean John said, "Sure"!). Until then, I will envy Keri's (ha ha!) and enjoy the hand prints the boys surprised me with (by surprised, I mean "didn't really have anything to do with").

April did a stellar job on this little plaque, even with squirmy little hands, and I love it!

I love everything about this picture

His little bum in the air.
Little legs crossed.
Cell phone in hand.
Still sound asleep.

If you haven't seen this picture floating around facebook, I thought it was pretty funny!

Fun at the Pond

Well the last few days the skies have looked like they could rain any minute, so taking long walks is not super great. The boys and I have found a great new play spot though. There's a little access road next to the house that leads to two retention ponds. They're pretty gross, but Hugo and James love trekking all over and doing "boy things". Today we even saw deer - well, I saw them anyway!



Today, James found a great walking stick to play with... And by walking stick, I mean "a stick to walk with". ;-)

Good eats for the Natester

Nate was very excited to eat rice cereal for the first time this afternoon. Being the second born, naturally, I completely forgot that he should probably start eating more than a bottle soon....





Fat and happy. Actually, the tablespoon of rice cereal probably didn't fill him up.... and he doesn't look very happy. I guess you'll just have to take my word on this one!

Ladies, it's time to shave

Seriously. Check Wednesday. Shorts season is happening tomorrow!


Just thought I'd share my excitement! :)

James and the Giant Pup

I adore this picture. When Hugo isn't chewing on James, he's really a sweet pup!







That last picture was another great "mom moment". I took the picture thinking, oh how cute, and the next second I realized what he was actually walking on. It doesn't look like it here, but there's about a 3-ft drop off those pavers. I'm sure he'll fall off someday, but I don't want the first time to be while I'm sitting right there snapping pictures!

I have one goal today.

To be outside as much as possible!!

I don't know why I don't get flowers more often!

This is going to sound really stupid, but I've risked it before... I still have a bunch of flowers that I picked up for April's baby shower hanging around my house and they sincerely make me SO happy! I love the flowers everywhere!

(Thanks for those, RuthAnn!)

(Floppy-eared Hugo says "hi"!)

(These make me the most happy. Or maybe it's the pictures next to them?)